Report: February Wii U sales appear far short of Nintendo’s hopes

Sales have taken a nosedive since the console's successful holiday launch.

The Wii U’s track record for poorer-than-expected sales grows longer after February, when only 64,000 consoles went off store shelves in the US, according to a report from NPD Group. This is a major shortfall from Nintendo’s sales projections at launch—the company thought it would sell nearly two million units per month worldwide from the beginning of January through the end of March.

The Wii U sold to the tune of 3.06 million units from its launch in November through the end of 2012, according to reports, nearly as many as the original Wii sold in the 2006 holiday season. But sales have fallen off a cliff since, with NPD citing US sales as low as 57,000 units during January.

At the end of January, Nintendo lowered its worldwide sales projections for the first quarter from 5.5 million to 4 million. If US sales are any indication, the company may not even come close to that adjusted number. According to Gamasutra, sales may have taken a hit in January when speculators who bought consoles to resell were not able to make a profit off them.

The Wii U enjoyed some time in the spotlight during the holiday season as the only new console, especially positioned next to the 6-year-old PlayStation 3 and 7-year-old Xbox 360. Now that the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s next-gen console codenamed “Durango” loom large, more consumers may sit back to see what Sony and Microsoft turn out before making a decision.

Much like the Dreamcast the WiiU will be a once well regarded console manufacturer's swan song.

I look forward to the day I can play a licensed version of Metroid or Zelda on my Android device or PS4.

Funny, because the PS4 could be Sony's Swan Song. Nintendo is in a much better financial position.Nintendo is also stomping the Vita to death rather well.

What's dragging Sony down financially isn't its gaming division, though. They're in a terrible financial position mostly due to their television, home theater, and cell phone lines being absolutely dreadful (the best of them, the TV product line, is simply squeezed out by Samsung at the top and Panasonic, Philips, and Vizio at the bottom, leaving it a product without a particularly visible market).

I recall in another thread someone observing that one of the major features of the Dreamcast was a screen on the controller so each user could have private information.

How humorous that screens on controllers seem to be turning into the mark of a failed console with its parent company soon to exit the market.

You want Nintendo to exit the hardware market, which is fine. A lot of people want to play Nintendo games on _____. That doesn't mean that they are anywhere near being pressured to do so, and spam style insistence that they will doesn't convince anyone.

The writing was on the wall for the WiiU on launch day when lines were short and you could often just walk into a store and buy one off the shelf. But I don't think this is necessarily good news for PS4 or the next XBox. It could be a larger trend of reduced consumer demand for game consoles in the U.S. We haven't started to see significant recovery in the job market until this past month, and I won't be convinced we're on a good path to recovery until we have 3 months of strong growth in the job market. And beyond that we need to see increases in wages / median household income.

Remember that all three previous consoles launched during the global economic bubble of the early 2000's, and things are very different now.

That's not really surprising. The console had 2 interesting games at launch (Zombi U and a new Mario), and absolutely nothing since then. Rayman was supposed to fill this empty early 2013 space but got pushed back.

You can't sell a console with no games. Maybe Monster Hunter will help a little, but until a real major exclusive title is released there are no reasons to get the console.

One of the worst things that has happened with the Wii U, IMHO, is that so many stores have demo stations that don't even let you demo a game. I don't want to stand there and watch gameplay videos or other groups of people having so much fun with a game.

Nintendo's main problem is lack of games. People would be more willing to buy the console if they saw a zelda or a new smash bros or metroid. If not for Monster Hunter coming next week, I would have passed on the system completely. Also while MH in Japan is a big system seller, here in the US and in the EU its admittedly niche. Launching without some of their biggest titles ready was a foolish oversight on their part. It looks like they are starting to get better at getting 3rd party devs on board, they got a ways to go. When more of these games come out in a few months, sales will probably pick up slowly with a probably good holiday run.

I'm not sure if the WiiU was poorly conceived, or meant to be an intermediary step. Rather than pursue new customers like they did with the Wii, they gave the primary controller dual-analogs. This only gave them two years of competition for hard-core gamers with an obsolescent console generation before two new ones came out. The tablet idea is neat, and better allows them to share games with DS (probably a major factor in its adoption), but it doesn't really sell itself.

Combine this with limited online and a lackluster catalog, and you have a console that is just plain underwhelming. I'm half convinced that the WiiU is just there to tide them over until their next console, which would release three to four years after the PS4/Xbox720 launch with competitive hardware for years, a comparable price at a profit, and improved controller technology.

That's not really surprising. The console had 2 interesting games at launch (Zombi U and a new Mario), and absolutely nothing since then. Rayman was supposed to fill this empty early 2013 space but got pushed back.

You can't sell a console with no games. Maybe Monster Hunter will help a little, but until a real major exclusive title is released there are no reasons to get the console.

It is completely beyond me why they don't release an updated texture version of Xenoblade. Many people have called it the best JRPG in a decade. It's completely unavailable on the eastern seaboard. It sells for $200 online right now. Make it a mass release, advertise the shit out of it, and call it this generation's Final Fantasy 7. Enthusiasts can drive traffic if they are engaged.

They never really "sold" the WiiU like they did the original. Nintendo haven't given people a reason to buy the new console.

This. Maybe I'm watching the wrong channels, but I've seen little to no advertising about the WiiU since the holidays. I'm not sure people even remember that it exists. The branding might be an issue too. With both Xbox and PlayStation using numbers to differentiate between their generations, you can see from a glance that it's a new generation. But a WiiU, I wonder how many people just assume it's an accessory to the Wii. And of course, there's the lack of games, let alone must-have games that everyone is talking about. There doesn't appear to be a Wii Sports like winner that really highlights the new console.

I really love the Wii U, but there aren't any games. If the developers (and Nintendo first party) could just get some content out there, I bet it would be selling much better. I think it's just a temporary hurdle but I wish these companies would just get something out there.

The lack of games is a big problem, especially with some of these games getting pushed back. My main gripe is it seems like they spent $0 marketing the thing. I saw exactly one commercial before it launched and none since.

Here is my strategy. Wait until the system is fairly well emulated, like Dolphin for the Wii (which includes full Wii remote support), then purchase a controller and the very few number of games I am interested in. Worked out well for me with the Wii. I know it doesn't really help Nintendo, but that honestly isn't my problem. They will get a peripheral out of me and a couple games.

I would have gotten one, but the lack of a proper online system (games tied to account not device, etc) killed it for me. The utter lack of must play games is also pretty damaging, but that's not all that unusual at this stage, and it's a pretty sure bet we will get at least a few must have Nintendo franchise title during the life of the console.

I think they can probably still dig out, but it's not going to be easy, and it's going to require getting something...anything out there to play. Also, maybe they can re evaluate some of their questionable practices, such as what Xavin mentioned about tying games to accounts instead of devices, etc...

Umm, i hate to say it but GOOD. Hopefully this is a clear message to the other console manufacturers that releasing a product promoted to be full of innovative features w/o said features is not a good business plan. It also means that people don't want to pay the old prices for the updated/hardly improved version of the previous system.

I still think Nintendo are making a mistake in the EU and US by not making a bigger deal of non-television play. As a father of three, I’m really interested in the Wii U, because it gives me the chance to play games without dominating the television.

The Wii and Wii U both had low-end hardware compared to the competition at launch, and they were both aimed at casual gamers, who don't care so much about specs. I think casual gamers are fine sticking with the Wii, which sold so well that most households in that market got one. So there isn't much of a market for the Wii U.

No one really understands it's a new system, instead of just another iteration of the same thing. That and as has been stated, no games. Yeah, there are a few titles out now that are decent, but I've bought all of one of them(for my sons). And TBH, the other 2 I'm waiting on, Rayman and Lego, are also for my sons. I primarily play RPGs, and thanks to Operation Rainfall have really enjoyed my Wii this last year(and have one more gem laying in wait in April). But for the time being, there's nothing on the WiiU that catches my eye, and likely won't for a while.

If I didn't have kids, frankly I wouldn't have bought one yet.

All that said, I remember the same "Nintendo is doooooomed" BS when the 3DS launch failed to break any records. Anyone care to look at the state of that device now?

I think they did well by giving WiiU a holiday launch, but right now it is badly in need of games. I think Nintendo overshot their sales expectations by quite a large margin, especially considering they've done a terrible job of advertising and informing the public of their latest console offering.

I also think that anyone comparing WiiU to the Dreamcast needs to do a bit of reading up on history. DC was a good system following a bad one, and a bad financial position for Sega. WiiU is in its infancy and follows 3 successful systems (DS, Wii, 3DS), Nintendo can afford to wait for it to pick up steam. That said, they'd best not wait too long to get that ball rolling, because as has been noted, Sony and MS are revealing their next gen systems, and while its presence in the console market isn't in question, it percentage of the market share is.

I still think the issue with the WiiU is the price as much as anything else. I will own a WiiU some day, just not at the current selling price. If it picks up steam and gets more games, I'll buy one after one of the inevitable price drops. If it never sells well, I'll pick one up for next to nothing on the secondary market in a few years. But I'm a sucker for Mario and old gaming systems. I picked up a 3DO for $10 last year and got my $10 of use out of it the one night it was used before becoming another dust collector in the basement.

Bottom line is that the system was rushed out the door before it was ready, with no new software in sight. The only news you hear about the thing is what developers are no longer going to support it, and how Nintendo turned away interested third parties prior to launch.

I'm sure Nintnedo will run into a string of heavy losses over time that will eventually force it's hand (moving inventory is going to require a write-off on existing inventory combined with taking an unexpected loss on future units via an emergency price drop that must be imminent). However, a fundamental change needs to take place. First, the CEO needs to be fired for incompetence. Second, they need to exit the hardware business.

They should focus on what they do best, which is making fun games. Leave the hardware to companies that know what they are doing...

The writing was on the wall for the WiiU on launch day when lines were short and you could often just walk into a store and buy one off the shelf. But I don't think this is necessarily good news for PS4 or the next XBox. It could be a larger trend of reduced consumer demand for game consoles in the U.S. We haven't started to see significant recovery in the job market until this past month, and I won't be convinced we're on a good path to recovery until we have 3 months of strong growth in the job market. And beyond that we need to see increases in wages / median household income.

Remember that all three previous consoles launched during the global economic bubble of the early 2000's, and things are very different now.

It's worth remembering that the entire smartphone industry has basically been built through the financial collapse though.

I don't think consumers are significantly different between now and then, possibly more worried about the future, but it hasn't stopped the basics. The two upcoming consoles will probably release over Christmas, will sell incredibly well then, but the proof will come in how they can trigger a desire in others to upgrade.

But I would say there's a latent demand. There hasn't been a new console in 7 years from either, last year saw 29% less titles being released in the leadup to new consoles, but the gamers are still there. There were 27 million people who bought Modern Warfare 3 on PS3 and 360, Halo 4 sold almost 8 million, Fifa 2013 sold 6 million copies on the PS3 alone, if the console makers can sell a new console to all those people in the first couple of years it would be a decent launch. Nintendo's biggest problem is that the only game that has sold really well in the past couple of years was Just Dance 3 and 4, games that don't work with the new controller at all. The other ones that sell well are the ones you buy when you pick up a Wii for the first time, Wii Sports, Sports Resort and Mario Kart. Mario Kart doesn't exist yet for the Wii U and I can't see a really compelling reason to jump to the Wii U for fitness games. Despite the Wii having more consoles out there, in 2011 and 2012 both the Xbox and the PS3 sold more games than the Wii did.

(all numbers are from VGChartz)

The main thing will be to not price anyone out of the market and actually come out with good games. Give us something to get excited about and the economy will have to be absolutely tanking to hurt sales significantly.

Here is my strategy. Wait until the system is fairly well emulated, like Dolphin for the Wii (which includes full Wii remote support), then purchase a controller and the very few number of games I am interested in. Worked out well for me with the Wii. I know it doesn't really help Nintendo, but that honestly isn't my problem. They will get a peripheral out of me and a couple games.

I'm pretty sure that means you are going to pirate the games. Sad for the gaming industry.

It is completely beyond me why they don't release an updated texture version of Xenoblade. Many people have called it the best JRPG in a decade. It's completely unavailable on the eastern seaboard. It sells for $200 online right now. Make it a mass release, advertise the shit out of it, and call it this generation's Final Fantasy 7. Enthusiasts can drive traffic if they are engaged.